Tokyo, June 15, 2018 - Rakuten LIFULL STAY, Inc., the Rakuten Group’s vacation rental service provider, today announced the opening of “Vacation STAY,” a vacation rental and accommodation booking site. Following the enactment of the Private Lodgings Business Act (“New Minpaku Act”), the site is now open and has now begun accepting reservations.
Vacation STAY is a reservation site for vacation rentals and other accommodation that connects hosts running vacation rental facilities and shared accommodation with travelers and other guests. Through the site, guests can easily make reservations at vacation rentals and shared accommodation that have been registered by individuals or organizations. With a wide variety of types of accommodation on offer, ranging from homes to single rooms in condominiums and apartments, as well as beds in hostels and more, the site caters to the needs of a broad range of guests, from people traveling in groups with family or friends, to backpackers, business travelers and people travelling alone. Only facilities that have provided the required notifications in line with the New Minpaku Act, facilities that have been accredited as National Strategic Special Zone vacation rentals, or shared accommodation licensed under the Inns and Hotels Act are listed on the site.
Guests can make reservations through the site after registering as a member with their email address and a password, or by login in using their Rakuten ID. The accommodation listings pages feature a variety of information about the properties, such as the address, price, room layout and facilities, in addition to information related to staying at the property, such as information about the hosts and how to receive and return keys. Payment can be made by credit card at the time of booking, and guests with a Rakuten ID can earn and use Rakuten Super Points on the site.
Vacation STAY offers a Rental Inventory Management System for hosts running vacation rentals or shared accommodation. The system reduces the burden on hosts by making it possible for them to manage all aspects of operations, from reservations and rental inventory to sales and payments, through a single account. Facilities registered on the system can be listed on other accommodation reservation sites that Rakuten LIFULL STAY has formed partnerships with. Initially, hosts are able to list their properties on Booking.com, and there are plans to expand this to include Rakuten Travel, HomeAway, Tujia, AsiaYo.com and Yanolja in the future. In addition, by using the system in conjunction with LIFULL HOME’S Monthly, a monthly rental apartment site provided by Rakuten LIFULL STAY, hosts can also operate their facilities as short-term leased properties, such as monthly rental apartments*1.
Going forward, Rakuten LIFULL STAY will continue contributing to the development of the legal vacation rental market and the accommodation market as a whole by providing services that are convenient for both guests and hosts.
*1 Facilities operated as monthly rental apartments will be listed on LIFULL HOME’S Monthly. To list them on the site, it is necessary for the host to agree to the separate terms of service for LIFULL HOME’S Monthly.
Overview of the Vacation STAY Service
URL: https://vacation-stay.jp/
Supported languages:
・ Service site: Japanese
・ Call center: Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean
Payment methods:
・ Payment of fees can be made at the time of booking by credit card.
・ Users with a Rakuten ID can earn or use Rakuten Super Points.
How to make a reservation:
1. Register user information
After agreeing to the terms of service, users can register as members of Vacation STAY by entering their email address and a password, or login with their Rakuten ID.
2. Make a reservation at a property
After selecting the location, the dates of their stay, etc., the user can then choose a property to stay at from those displayed. Once they have decided on a property, users can check the details of the reservation and provide advance payment to complete the reservation.
3. After completing the reservation
Users can confirm the status of their reservation and ask any questions they may have to the host regarding their stay through their personal page. Users can then check in to their accommodation on the designated date for their stay according to the designated check-in procedure.
* In the event of a cancellation, refunds and similar matters will be handled according to the cancellation policy stipulated by the host.
* In the event that guests cannot get in contact with the host or similar cases, they can contact the call center for guests with reservations by telephone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Overview of the Rental Inventory Management System for Hosts
Major features of the Rental Inventory Management System:
・ Hosts can manage everything from reservations and rental inventory to sales and receiving payment via a single account.
・ Hosts can also list their properties on and make sales via other reservation sites in Japan and overseas which Rakuten LIFULL STAY has a partnership.
* As of June 15, hosts are able to list their properties on Booking.com, and there are plans to expand this to Rakuten Travel, HomeAway, Tujia, AsiaYo.com and Yanolja in the future.
* Reservations made through partner sites can be confirmed on the Rental Inventory Management System.
How to register facilities:
1. Register user information
After agreeing to the terms of service, hosts can register as members of Vacation STAY by entering their email address and a password, or login with their Rakuten ID.
2. Register the facility
[Registration details]
Applicable industry laws (Private Lodging Business Act, Inns and Hotels Act, National Strategic Special Zone vacation rental), building type, address, map information, room type, amenities, pictures of the facility, house rules, room title, room introduction, fee, check-in / check-out times, reservation acceptance, payment method, calendar, cancellation policy, etc.
3. Receive listing approval, agree to the sales agreement
4. Upload documents such as the screening results notification and business permit from public institutions (Private Lodging Business Act, Inns and Hotels Act, National Strategic Special Zone vacation rental) via the site
5. After Rakuten LIFULL STAY staff has completed the screening, enter the calendar settings (including information like the accommodation terms and dates that can be reserved), then begin making rental sales
*Facilities that have not submitted documents related to permits and licenses cannot make rental sales via the site.
About Rakuten LIFULL STAY, Inc.
Address: Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube 3F, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Representative Director Munekatsu Ota
Details of business: Providing services related to vacation rental platform, etc.
Date of establishment: March 2017
Website: https://www.rakuten-lifull-stay.co.jp/